Understanding Cone Photoreceptor Cell Death in Achromatopsia

Conference paper
First Online:
Part of the Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology book series (AEMB, volume 854)

Abstract

Colour vision is only achieved in the presence of healthy and functional cone photoreceptors found in the retina. It is an essential component of human vision and usually the first complaint patients undergoing vision degeneration have is the loss of daylight colour vision. Therefore, an understanding of the biology and basic mechanisms behind cone death under the degenerative state of retinal dystrophies and how the activation of the apoptotic pathway is triggered will provide valuable knowledge. It will also have broader applications for a spectrum of visual disorders and will be critical for future advances in translational research.

Keywords

Achromatopsia Cone dystrophies Cone photoreceptors Cell death Cone degeneration Apoptosis 
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Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of Ophthalmology, Ocular Genomics Institute, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear InfirmaryHarvard Medical School, Harvard UniversityBostonUSA

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